SSTs, such as automated teller machines (ATMs), require servicing so that they remain in operation. ATMs require servicing to prevent and correct faults and also to replenish media that is being dispensed at the ATM. This media includes banknotes.
To provide efficient servicing of an ATM network, it is important to be able to monitor when a service engineer arrives at an ATM, when replenishment of the ATM is due, and other servicing events. Arrival of the service engineer is important for a number of reasons, including to enable a management center to time how long the service engineer takes to resolve the incident, to time how long the ATM is out of service, and the like.
At present, arrival of a service engineer at an ATM is typically implemented in one of two ways. The first way is for the service engineer to call a remote management center (typically the management center that dispatched the service engineer) so that an operator at that management center manually logs the service engineer as having arrived at that ATM at the time the phone call is received. The second way is for the ATM to detect when the ATM status has been changed from transaction mode to supervisor mode and to send an electronic notification of this event to the management center.
Both of these methods have problems. The service engineer may forget to call (or delay calling) the management center. If the automated method is used, then this may be triggered when the ATM is accessed by someone other than a service engineer, for example, a member of branch staff who is clearing a printer paper jam.